Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions
  • 1 Crown 1935, KM# 842, United Kingdom (Great Britain), George V, 25th Anniversary of the Accession of George V to the Throne, Silver Jubilee
  • 1 Crown 1935, KM# 842, United Kingdom (Great Britain), George V, 25th Anniversary of the Accession of George V to the Throne, Silver Jubilee
Description

The British crown, the successor to the English crown and the Scottish dollar, came into being with the Union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland in 1707. As with the English coin, its value was five shillings.

The 1935 British crown was issued to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee. It is interesting due to the many types and varieties that exist. Commonly referred to as "Rocking Horse Crowns" because of the Art Deco depiction of St. George slaying the dragon by Percy Metcalfe on the reverse resembles a child's rocking horse.

Obverse

Bare head of the King George V facing left; below on neck engraver's initials.

George V (1865–1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. He was the only Emperor of India to be present at his own Delhi Durbar. His reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism, Irish republicanism, and the Indian independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape. In 1917, George became the first monarch of the House of Windsor, which he renamed from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as a result of anti-German public sentiment.

GEORGIUS V DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM OMNIUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR INDIAE IMPERATOR means George V, by the Grace of God, of all the Britains King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.

Engraver: Edgar Bertram MacKennal

GEORGIVIS V.DG.BRITT:OMN:REX:FD.IND:IMP:
BM

Reverse

St. George wearing armour and holding a sword and shield (bearing the cross of St. George) on horseback advancing to left above a fallen dragon with broken lance in its side.

Saint George (between 275–281 AD to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a Roman soldier of Greek origin and officer in the Guard of Roman emperor Diocletian, who was sentenced to death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

According to the legend, the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place somewhere he called "Silene", in Libya. The town had a small lake with a plague-bearing dragon living in it and poisoning the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene fed it two sheep every day. When they ran out of sheep they started feeding it their children, chosen by lottery. One time the lot fell on the king's daughter. The king, in his grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.

Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess tried to send him away, but he vowed to remain. The dragon emerged from the lake while they were conversing. Saint George made the Sign of the Cross and charged it on horseback, seriously wounding it with his lance. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash.

The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the populace. Saint George offered to kill the dragon if they consented to become Christians and be baptised. Fifteen thousand men including the king of Silene converted to Christianity. George then killed the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. The king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George on the site where the dragon died and a spring flowed from its altar with water that cured all disease.

Engraver: Percy Metcalfe

C R O W N 1 9 3 5
PM

Edge

Translation: A decoration and a guard. Regnal year 25.

* DECUS ET TUTAMEN * ANNO REGNI XXV

Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.500
Weight 28.28 g
Diameter 38.61 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Alt # Sp# 4048, Sp# 4049, Sp# 4050
Mint
Royal Mint

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